Editor’s note: The article and the Caesars Sportsbook odds were updated on July 28th, 2023.
This is our sixth installment of the 2023 World Series Odds Update and the third since the season began. Below we will take a look at the current World Series odds as well as the MLB divisional odds and discuss how the teams have fared nearly four months into the season.
We invite you to use OddsTrader’s MLB Power Rankings and all of our other resources to handicap your MLB picks, and make sure to check back for the daily MLB odds, which include moneylines, run lines, and totals on every game on the MLB betting menu.
OddsTrader’s Betting Edge
• But before we bet without hearts and not our minds, understand that the Rays rank No. 1 in team ERA (3.67) while the Orioles rank a middling 15th (4.17).
• Minnesota is winning only because of their sensational pitching as they are currently No. 3 in ERA (3.76) and No. 1 in WHIP (1.17).
• Meanwhile, the Guardians can’t seem to hit the ball out of the park, ranked dead last in dingers, on a pace to hit just 122 home runs this season which would place them 12th in the league if the season were to end on July 27th.
• It’s a virtual tie for the top spot in the AL West but the Rangers continue to mash, ranked No. 1 in scoring (5.8 runs per game), team batting average (.273), and run differential (+149).
• …Cincinnati leads the big leagues in base thefts, averaging 1.15 stolen bases per game, and is winning at a .544 clip despite a team ERA of 4.70, ranked 26th in the majors.
World Series Odds
Below are the MLB World Series odds as of July 28th, 2023 courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.
| Contenders | Pretenders | Longshots |
| Atlanta Braves +330 | Minnesota Twins +2800 | Los Angeles Angels +10,000 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers +500 | Arizona Diamondbacks +2800 | Chicago Cubs +15,000 |
| Tampa Bay Rays +600 | Milwaukee Brewers +3500 | St. Louis Cardinals +15, 000 |
| Houston Astros +700 | San Diego Padres +4000 | Chicago White Sox +25,000 |
| Texas Rangers +900 | Cincinnati Reds +5000 | Pittsburgh Pirates +30,000 |
| Baltimore Orioles +1500 | Miami Marlins +5000 | Detroit Tigers +50,000 |
| Toronto Blue Jays +1800 | Seattle Mariners +6000 | Washington Nationals +200,000 |
| New York Yankees +2000 | Cleveland Guardians +6000 | Colorado Rockies +200,000 |
| Philadelphia Phillies +2500 | New York Mets +7000 | Kansas City Royals +200,000 |
| San Francisco Giants +2800 | Boston Red Sox +8000 | Oakland Athletics +200,000 |
American League
AL East Odds
| Team | Division Odds |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays | -115 |
| Baltimore Orioles | +125 |
| New York Yankees | +950 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +4000 |
| Boston Red Sox | +6000 |
AL East Projected Winner
- Tampa Bay Rays (2023 Record – 96-66)
There is no question that the Baltimore Orioles are the sentimental choice to win the AL East as everyone loves an underdog. But before we bet without hearts and not our minds, understand that the Rays rank No. 1 in team ERA (3.67) while the Orioles rank a middling 15th (4.17).
Teams without elite pitching don’t often go far in the postseason, and while the Orioles’ accomplishments are nothing short of astounding this season, there is still a long way to go. And if the injury bug should bite the O’s pitching staff, you will likely see them fading faster than a Baltimore sunset.
Nevertheless, it is important to point out that the Orioles have gone 8-4 since returning from the break, with their AL East odds plummeting from +650 to +125 in a span of just two weeks since our last report.
Conversely, the Rays are in the midst of a bumpy second half, having lost 7 of their 11 contests since the break, including three to Baltimore, with odds of them winning the division at -550 entering the break to where they now sit at -115.
AL Central Odds
| Team | Division Odds |
|---|---|
| Minnesota Twins | -360 |
| Cleveland Guardians | +250 |
| Chicago White Sox | +4000 |
| Detroit Tigers | +5000 |
| Kansas City Royals | +6000 |
AL Central Projected Winner
- Minnesota Twins (2023 Record – 85-77)
Minnesota is winning only because of their sensational pitching, as they are currently No. 3 in ERA (3.76) and No. 1 in WHIP (1.17). However, they have the luxury of residing in the worst division in baseball and are currently the only team in the AL Central with a record north of .500.
Nevertheless, the Twins are flexing since the break, having gone 9-3 over their first dozen games while their closest rival, Cleveland, is 5-6 after their first 11 contests in the second half. Pablo Lopez is ranked third in the majors in strikeouts, and despite a team batting average that ranks 23rd (.236), Minnesota is the team to beat based solely on their elite pitching.
Meanwhile, the Guardians can’t seem to hit the ball out of the park, ranked dead last in dingers, on a pace to hit just 122 home runs this season which would place them 12th in the league if the season were to end on July 27th.
AL West Odds
| Team | Division Odds |
|---|---|
| Texas Rangers | -125 |
| Houston Astros | +100 |
| Seattle Mariners | +2500 |
| Los Angeles Angels | +5000 |
| Oakland Athletics | +100,000 |
AL West Projected Winner
- Houston Astros (2023 Record – 92-70)
The Rangers began their surprisingly torrid pace by winning their first six games after the break but have recently lost four of their last five, with the Astros picking up ground by winning six of their last seven.
It’s a virtual tie for the top spot in the AL West, but the Rangers continue to mash, ranked No. 1 in scoring (5.8 runs per game), team batting average (.273), and run differential (+149). Corey Seager, currently on the 10-day IL, is raking with a .350 batting average while Cuban import, Adolis Garcia, is tied for first in the majors in RBI and has 24 bombs to boot.
As good as the Rangers have been, the Astros remain on their doorsteps, and once Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez return from their injuries – which will be very soon – we expect this ferocious lineup to begin devouring opposing pitchers. Let’s also not forget about pitcher Jose Urquidy, who is slated to return as well, after a three-month absence.
National League
NL East Odds
| Team | Division Odds |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | -15,000 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +3300 |
| Miami Marlins | +8000 |
| New York Mets | +15,000 |
| Washington Nationals | +50,000 |
NL East Projected Winner
- Atlanta Braves (2023 Record – 105-57)
The Braves are playing like they desperately want to bring that World Series trophy back home to Atlanta after a two-year absence. They are smoking the division, hence the prohibitive odds of -15,000 to win the NL East, and pacing the league with a .646 winning percentage.
However, the second half of the season has not been all lollipops and sunshine, as the Braves dropped six of their first 10 games. But that’s just a little bump in the road for a team that has a bevy of pitching and hitting with Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, and Charlie Morton as a solid front three, with Max Fried on course to return from the IL behind a lineup featuring Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Matt Olson, and Sean Murphy.
NL Central Odds
| Team | Division Odds |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | -170 |
| Cincinnati Reds | +170 |
| Chicago Cubs | +1200 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | +3000 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +12,500 |
NL Central Projected Winner
- Milwaukee Brewers (2023 Record – 89-73)
The Brewers are still the oddsmakers’ choice to win the division, but they are in a virtual dead heat with the Reds for the top spot in the NL Central. And although Cincinnati has posted a stunning turnaround from their previous iterations of futility over the last several years, they have a dearth of pitching which will ultimately expose them in the end.
But for now, it is a blast to watch the Reds battle the Brewers for division supremacy as Cincinnati leads the big leagues in base thefts, averaging 1.15 stolen bases per game, and is winning at a .544 clip despite a team ERA of 4.70, ranked 26th in the majors. The Reds pitching staff’s lone bright light has been closer, Alexis Diaz, who is ranked second in saves with 30 on the season.
NL West Odds
| Team | Division Odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Dodgers | -675 |
| San Francisco Giants | +800 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +1000 |
| San Diego Padres | +3000 |
| Colorado Rockies | +100,000 |
NL West Projected Winner
- Los Angeles Dodgers (2023 Record – 94-68)
The Dodgers are pulling away from the pack as their closest rivals, the Giants and Diamondbacks, have combined for a 2-11 record over their last 13 contests while Big Blue is making due with a 7-4 mark since returning from the All-Star break.
Had the injury bug not bitten so hard on the pitching staff, the Dodgers would be running away with the division instead of giving anyone cause for pause as to the eventual winner of the NL West, which LA has won in nine of the last 10 seasons.
However, when you have a lineup that already has eight players with double-digit home runs and features an All-Star roster consisting of Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, and Max Muncy, chances are you’re going to be just fine.
Props and Bonuses
You can find a list of prop bets at all of the best U.S.-licensed online sportsbooks found right here at OddsTrader. Online sportsbooks like Caesars Sportsbook, FanDuel, PointsBet, Bet365, Unibet, SugarHouse, BetRivers, SBK, MaximBet, and DraftKings all offer props like “Who Will Win the AL and NL Cy Young Award” and futures to win the World Series as well as generous signup bonuses.
Shop for Odds
If you want to compare the various MLB odds then click on the link and you will see the moneylines, run lines, and totals at all of the best books in the industry. Remember, it’s important to be able to compare and contrast lines at a glance so that you get the best odds for your betting buck.
Reduced Juice
If you are unfamiliar with “reduced juice” it merely refers to sportsbooks that lower their lines below the competition to attract business to their site. In other words, you pay less vig on the favorites which provides an excellent advantage for the bettor over the long grind that is the MLB season. PointsBet has one of the more aggressive reduced juice policies which makes them an attractive option during baseball season.
MLB Computer Picks
If you go to the OddsTrader MLB Computer Picks section you can see what the OT algorithms project and how the results compare to those predictions.
MLB Betting FAQs
Question: Where can I bet on the 2023 MLB World Series?
Answer: The best online sportsbooks are the safest online sportsbooks, which are those licensed in jurisdictions where online sports betting is legal in the United States. The top-rated books are Caesars, Bet365, Unibet, SugarHouse, FanDuel, SBK, BetRivers, PointsBet, MaximBet, and DraftKings
Question: What types of bets are popular with MLB baseball?
Answer: The most popular bet is the moneyline where the underdog returns more money than you wagered while the favorite requires you to risk more than you could win. There is no point spread in moneyline wagering, it is strictly whichever team wins the game, wins the bet.
However, run lines are also common, with the underdog getting +1 run while the underdog is giving 1 ½ run. Totals, or over/under betting, is another typical baseball bet where the bettor can bet over or under the posted total.
Question: Do I have to bet a lot?
Answer: No, the minimum bet is as low as $1 and accounts can be funded with as little as $10 at many of the books across the nation.
